Insertion verifier dust cap

ABSTRACT

A coupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising a female connector, a tube, a retainer and a cap. The female connector defines a bore. The bore extends axially inwardly into the connector from an entrance. An annular face is defined in the bore axially inwardly of the entrance. The tube is received within the bore. The tube has an enlarged upset. The retainer is disposed in the bore. The retainer has a member directly contacting the upset and extends to the annular face to retain the tube in the bore. The cap is slidably mounted on the tube and is attached to the female connector. The cap has a protrusion directly contacting the upset.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to fluid line systems which includecoupling assemblies, and more particularly, to a coupling assembly ofthe type for connecting a male member formed at the end of a tube in ahollow female connector.

[0002] In the automotive and other fields, one type of coupling assemblyoften utilized to provide a fluid connection between two components orconduits is a quick connector coupling, which generally includes a malemember received and retained in a female connector. Use of a quickconnector coupling is advantageous in that a sealed and secured fluidline may be established with a minimum amount of time and expense.

[0003] A retainer is often used to secure the male member within thefemale connector. One such type of retainer includes a plurality oflocking beams which extend between a radial upset formed on the malemember and an annular face defined in the female connector. The abutmentof the retainer with the radial upset at one end and the annular face atthe other end prevents the withdrawal of the male member from the femaleconnector. This type of retainer is prevalent in the art and has proveneffective in many fluid line applications.

[0004] Nevertheless, such retainers have occasionally been prone tofailure. During the connection of the male member in the femaleconnector, the male member may be inserted insufficiently into thefemale connector for the upset formed on the male member to surpass thelocking beams of the retainer. This insufficient insertion of the malemember into the female connector allows the male member to beaccidentally removed from the female connector with little effort.

[0005] Another concern associated with the use of a retainer having aplurality of locking beams is contaminants entering into the entrance ofthe female connector and being embedded between the locking beams. Thepresence of contaminants in the female connector can cause the malemember, female connector or retainer to erode and fail prematurely.Furthermore, the presence of contaminants in the female connectorprevents a tool from entering the female connector to release theretainer for removal of the male member from the female connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is a coupling assembly for providing afluid connection comprising a female connector, a tube, a retainer and acap. The female connector defines a bore. The bore extends axiallyinwardly into the connector from an entrance. An annular face is definedin the bore axially inwardly of the entrance. The tube is receivedwithin the bore. The tube has an enlarged upset. The retainer isdisposed in the bore. The retainer has a member directly contacting theupset and extends to the annular face to retain the tube in the bore.The cap is slidably mounted on the tube and is attached to the femaleconnector. The cap has a protrusion directly contacting the upset.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a section view of a coupling assembly prior to insertionof a male member into a female connector.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a section view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 1 afterthe male member has been properly inserted into the female connector.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a retainer.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insertion verifier dust cap.

[0011]FIG. 5 is a front view of the insertion verifier dust cap of FIG.4.

[0012]FIG. 6 is a side view of the insertion verifier dust cap of FIG.4.

[0013]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the insertion verifier dustcap as taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

[0014]FIG. 8 is a section view of the coupling assembly of FIG. 2 afterthe insertion verifier dust cap has been attached to the femaleconnector.

[0015]FIG. 9 is a section view taken ninety degrees from the couplingassembly of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a coupling assembly of the presentinvention. The coupling assembly 10 comprises a male member 12, a hollowfemale connector 14, a retainer 16, a first O-ring 18, a first spacer20, a second O-ring 22, a second spacer 24 and an insertion verifierdust cap 26.

[0017] The male member 12 is formed at the end of a hollow and rigidtube 28 which forms a part of a fluid line system. The tube 28 may leadto a component in a fluid line system, or may itself be a portion of acomponent in a fluid line system. Male member 12 includes a radiallyenlarged annular flange or upset 30 formed at a given distance from thedistal end 32 of the male member 12.

[0018] The female connector body 14 is hollow and defines an axial bore34 extending axially inward from an entrance 36. The entrance 36 isdefined by a radially inward extending rim 38 having an apex 40. The rim38 is chamfered at the axially outward surface 42 to facilitate theinsertion of the male member 12 into the connector body 14. Axiallyinward from the entrance 36 is a first annular face 44. Axially inwardfrom the first annular face 44 is a first cylindrical surface 46 and afirst conical surface 48 terminating at a second annular face 50.Axially inward from the second annular face 50 is a second cylindricalsurface 52 terminating at a third annular face 54. Axially inward fromthe third annular face 54 is a third cylindrical surface 56 terminatingat a fourth annular face 58. Located at the center of the fourth annularface 58 is an entrance to a reduced diameter cylindrical bore 60 formingthe fluid line opposite the tube 28. The first annular face 44, togetherwith the first cylindrical surface 46, the first conical surface 48, thesecond annular face 50, the second cylindrical surface 52, the thirdannular face 54, the third cylindrical surface 56 and the fourth annularface 58, define the axial bore 34.

[0019] The first O-ring 18, the first spacer 20, the second O-ring 22and the second spacer 24 are inserted in the axial bore 34. The firstO-ring 18, the first spacer 20, the second O-ring 22 and the secondspacer 24 are situated radially inward of the second cylindrical surface52.

[0020] Thereafter, the retainer 16 is inserted into the axial bore 34.The retainer 16 includes four circumferentially spaced legs 62 whichabut the upset 30 of the male member 12 to retain the male member 12 inthe axial bore 34 upon full insertion of the male member 12 into thefemale connector 14.

[0021] Each leg 62 includes a radially inner section 64 which abuts theupset 30 of the male member 12. A bump 66, formed on each radially innersection 64, provides a relatively great force resisting tube insertion.Braces 68 extend circumferentially from each circumferential side of theradial inner sections 64 to provide additional strength against bucklingof the retainer.

[0022] The radially inner section 64 includes a lip 70 which abuts theupset 30 of the male member 12. The lip 70 is bent radially outwardlysuch that it contacts the upset 30 over a relatively great surface area.A rear bend 72 connects the radially inner section 64 with a radiallyouter section 74. A cylindrical forward ring 76 connects the pluralityof circumferentially spaced legs 62. The ring abuts the second annularface 50 and the rear bend abuts the first abutment face 44 to retain theretainer 16 in the axial bore 34.

[0023] The insertion verifier dust cap 26 of the present invention isshown in FIGS. 4-7. The cap 26 is a dual diameter cylindrical shapedshell. The cap 26 can be opened axially as two shell halves 78 areconnected by a hinge 80 on one side. The two shell halves 78 are snappedtogether by a rectangular housing 82 formed on the outer surface of oneshell and a clasp 84 formed on the outer surface of the other shell. Therectangular housing 82 has a bore 86 defined therein and a protrusion 88formed on the radially outer surface of the housing 82. The clasp 84 hasa U-shaped catch 90 formed at the radially outer surface. The U-shapedcatch 90 has a window 92 in the center for retaining the protrusion 88.Radially inward of the U-shaped catch 90 is an outwardly extending pin94 for insertion into the bore 86 of the housing 82.

[0024] Once the clasp 84 and the housing 82 of the two shell halves 78are snapped together, the two shell halves 78 form the dual diametercylindrical shaped cap 26.

[0025] The cap 26 has a first cylindrical portion 96 having an enlargeddiameter and a second cylindrical portion 98 having a reduced diameter.As illustrated in FIG. 2, the inner diameter D₁ of the first cylindricalportion 96 is sized to be at least as large as the outer diameter D₂ ofthe female connector 14 radially outwardly of the entrance 36, thusallowing the first cylindrical portion 96 to surround a portion of theconnector body 14 radially outward and axially inward of the entrance36. The first cylindrical portion 96 is connected to the secondcylindrical portion 98 by an annular portion 100. Formed on the outersurface of the first cylindrical portion 96 and perpendicular to theabutting surfaces of the two shell halves 78 are a pair of groovedfinger tabs 102.

[0026] Two circumferentially spaced protruding arms 104 are formed onthe inner surface of the annular portion 100 of the cap 26. The arms 104extend axially from the annular portion 100. The distal end of each armincludes a hook 106 extending radially outward. Each hook 106 has anaxially inward surface 108 for abutment with the first annular surface44 of the female connector 14 to retain the cap 26 to the femaleconnector 14. Located axially outward from the axially inward surface108 is a ramped surface 110 to facilitate the insertion of the arms 104into the female connector 14.

[0027] Two circumferentially spaced protruding beams 112 are formed onthe inner surface of the annular portion 100 of the cap 26 ninetydegrees from the arms 104. The beams 112 extend axially from the annularportion 100. Each beam 112 has a terminal surface 114 for abutment withthe upset 30 of the male member 12.

[0028] The coupling assembly 10 of the present invention functions asfollows. The first O-ring 18, the first spacer 20, the second O-ring 22,the second spacer 24 and the retainer 16 are pre-assembled into thefemale connector 14. The first O-ring 18, the first spacer 20, thesecond O-ring 22 and the second spacer 24 are inserted into the axialbore 34 and situated radially inward of the second cylindrical surface52. Thereafter, the retainer 16 is inserted into the axial bore 34 untilthe ring 76 abuts the second annular face 50 and the rear bend 72 abutsthe first abutment face 44 to retain the retainer 16 in the bore 34.

[0029] The male member 12 is then inserted into the female connector 14.The terminal end 32 of the male member 12 is inserted through theentrance 36 of the female connector 14, between the radially innersection 64 of the retainer 16, through the ring 76 of the retainer 16,through the second spacer 24, the second O-ring 22, the first spacer 20and the first O-ring 18, and finally into the portion of the axial bore34 defined by the third cylindrical surface 56. The first O-ring 18 andthe second O-ring 22 form a seal between the male member 12 and theaxial bore 34 of the female connector 14. The upset 30 of the malemember 12 then contacts the radially inner section 64 of the retainer16. Upon further insertion of the male member 12 into the femaleconnector 14, the upset 30 of the male member 12 applies an axiallyinward and a radially outward force, pushing the radially inner section64 radially outward. When inserted properly, the male member 12 isinserted until the upset 30 of the male member 12 surpasses the lip 70of the radially inner section 64. Once the upset 30 of the male memberl2surpasses the lip 70, the radially inner section 64 springs radiallyinward, abutting the upset 30 of the male member 12, and prevents themale member 12 from withdrawing from the female connector 14.

[0030] Once the male member 12 has been inserted into the femaleconnector 14, the cap 26 is mounted around the tube 28 forming the malemember 12 with the first cylindrical portion 96 axially toward thefemale connector 14. The cap 26 is mounted around the tube 28 by placingthe inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 98 of one of theshell halves 78 around the tube. The other shell half 78 then pivotsaround the hinge 80 to surround the tube 28. To snap the two shellhalves 78 together, the U-shaped catch 90 flexes radially outward untilthe protrusion 88 is situated within the window 92 of the U-shaped catch90. The U-shaped catch 90 then springs radially inward and retains theprotrusion 88 within the U-shaped catch 90. At the same time, the pin 94is inserted into the bore 86 to provide axial and radial stability.

[0031] After the cap 26 is mounted on the tube 28, the cap 26 is slidaxially toward the female connector 14. The cap 26 is rotationallyaligned such that the arms 104 and the beams 112 are aligned between thelegs 62 of the retainer 16 allowing the arms 104 and the beams 112 tofit between the legs 62 of the retainer 16. As the cap 26 is slidaxially toward the female connector 14, the first cylindrical portion 96surrounds at least a portion of female connector 14 radially outward andaxially inward of the entrance to prevent contaminants from entering theentrance of the connector body.

[0032] If the male member 12 has been properly inserted into the femaleconnector 14, such that the upset 30 of the male member 12 was insertedpast the lips 70 of the radially inner sections 64, the hooks 106 of thearms 104 contact the rim 38 of the female connector 14 and the beams 112fit between the legs 62 of the retainer 16. Since at least a portion ofthe ramped surface 110 has a diameter larger than the apex 40 of the rim38, further force applied to the cap 26 in the axial direction causesthe arms 104 to flex radially inward such that the diameter of theramped surface 110 in contact with the rim 38 is the same diameter asthe apex 40 of the rim 38. The cap 26 is slid axially until the rim 38surpasses the ramped surface 110 of the hook 106. The arms 104 thenspring radially outward wherein the axially inward surfaces 108 of thehooks 106 act as abutment surfaces against the first annular face 44,preventing the cap 26 from withdrawing from the female connector 14.Furthermore, upon full insertion of the arms 104 into the femaleconnector 14, the terminal surfaces 114 of the beams 112 abut the upset30 of the male member 12, preventing the male member 12 from withdrawingfrom the female connector 14.

[0033] If the male member 12 has not been properly inserted into thefemale connector 14, such that the upset 30 of the male member 12 wasnot inserted past the lips 70 of the radially inner surfaces 64 duringthe insertion of male member 12 into the female connector 14, theterminal surfaces 114 of the beams 112 abut the upset 30 of the malemember 12 and push the male member 12 axially inward into the femaleconnector 14. Just prior to the point where the rim 38 surpasses theramped surfaces 110 of the hooks 106, the upset 30 of the male member 12surpasses the lip 70 of the radially inner section 64. Therefore, thebeams 112 of the cap 26 verify that the male member 12 has been properlyinserted into the female connector 14 by pushing the upset 30 of themale member 12 axially inward until the male member 12 is properlyinserted.

[0034] The cap 26 of the present invention can also be used as a releasetool to withdraw the male member 12 from the female connector 14 afterthe male member 12 has been properly inserted into the female connector14. To use the cap 26 as a release tool, the cap 26 is mounted aroundthe tube 28 forming the male member 12 with the second cylindricalportion 98 axially toward the female connector 14. The cap 26 is mountedaround the tube 28 by placing the inner surface of the secondcylindrical portion 98 of one of the shell halves 78 around the tube 28.The other shell half 78 then pivots around the hinge 80 to surround thetube 28. The two shell halve 78 are snapped together and the cap 26 isslid axially toward the female connector 14. As the second cylindricalportion 98 of the cap 26 is inserted into the axial bore 34 of thefemale connector 14, the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion98 contacts the radially inner sections 64 of the retainer 16. As thecap 26 is further inserted axially inward, the second cylindricalportion 98 pushes the radially inner sections 64 radially outward. Thecap 26 is inserted axially inwardly until the terminal end of the secondcylindrical portion 98 contacts the upset 30 of the male member 12. Theouter diameter D₃ of the second cylindrical portion 98 is sized to atleast as large as the diameter D₄ of the upset 30 of the male member 12.Thus, upon the terminal end of the second cylindrical portion 98contacting the upset 30 of the male member 12, the diameter of theradially inner section 64 is expanded to be at least as large as thediameter D₄ of the upset 30 of the male member 12. Thereafter, the upset30 of the male member 12 is able to fit through the radially innersection 64 and be withdrawn from the female connector 14.

[0035] Various features of the present invention have been describedwith reference to the above embodiment. It should be understood thatmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as represented by the following claims.

1. A coupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising: afemale connector defining a bore, said bore extending axially inwardlyinto said connector from an entrance, an annular face being defined insaid bore axially inwardly of said entrance; a tube received within saidbore with an enlarged upset; a retainer disposed in said bore having amember directly contacting said upset and extending to said annular faceto retain said tube in said bore; and a cap slidable mounted on saidtube and attached to said female connector, said cap having a protrusiondirectly contacting said upset.
 2. The coupling assembly as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said cap further has an arm abutting said annular facefor attaching said cap to said female connector.
 3. The couplingassembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said protrusion is a beamextending axially.
 4. The coupling assembly as claimed in claim 1wherein said cap further has a portion surrounding said entrance of saidfemale connector.
 5. The coupling assembly as claimed in claim 4 whereinsaid portion of said cap has a diameter at least as large as the outerdiameter of said female connector radially outward of said entrance. 6.The coupling assembly as claimed in claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising an O-ring sealingly engaging said tube axially inward of saidupset.
 7. The coupling assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidretainer has four members.
 8. The coupling assembly as claimed in claim2 wherein said protrusion is located ninety degrees from said arm.
 9. Acoupling assembly for providing a fluid connection comprising: a femaleconnector defining a bore, said bore extending axially inwardly intosaid connector from an entrance, an annular face being defined in saidbore axially inwardly of said entrance; a tube received within said borewith an enlarged upset; a retainer disposed in said bore having a memberdirectly contacting said upset and extending to said annular face toretain said tube in said bore; and a cap slidable mounted on said tubehaving a portion surrounding said entrance of said female connector andan arm abutting said annular face for attaching said cap to said femaleconnector.
 10. The coupling assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein saidportion of said cap has a diameter at least as large as the outerdiameter of said female connector radially outward of said entrance. 11.A coupling assembly as claimed in claimed in claim 9 further comprisingan O-ring sealingly engaging said tube axially inward of said upset. 12.A coupling assembly as claimed in claimed in claim 9 wherein saidretainer has four members.
 13. A release tool for removing a tubing withan enlarged upset received within a bore extending axially inwardly intoa female connector, a retainer disposed in said bore having a memberdirectly contacting said upset and extending to an annular face definedin said bore axially inward of said entrance to retain said tube in saidbore, said release tool slidably mounted on said tubing having a reduceddiameter portion and an enlarged diameter portion, said reduced diameterportion of said release tool having an outer diameter at least as largeas the diameter of said upset, wherein insertion of said reduceddiameter portion of said release tool into said bore expands said memberradially outward.
 14. The release tool as claimed in claim 13 whereinsaid enlarged diameter portion has an inner diameter at least as largeas the outer diameter of said female connector radially outward of saidentrance.